Targeting MUC1-C is synergistic with bortezomib in downregulating TIGAR and inducing ROS-mediated myeloma cell death

Blood. 2014 May 8;123(19):2997-3006. doi: 10.1182/blood-2013-11-539395. Epub 2014 Mar 14.

Abstract

The proteosome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ) induces endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress in multiple myeloma (MM) cells. The mucin 1 C-terminal subunit (MUC1-C) oncoprotein is aberrantly expressed in most MM cells, and targeting MUC1-C with GO-203, a cell-penetrating peptide inhibitor of MUC1-C homodimerization, is effective in inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated MM cell death. The present results demonstrate that GO-203 and BTZ synergistically downregulate expression of the p53-inducible regulator of glycolysis and apoptosis (TIGAR), which promotes shunting of glucose-6-phosphate into the pentose phosphate pathway to generate reduced glutathione (GSH). In turn, GO-203 blocks BTZ-induced increases in GSH and results in synergistic increases in ROS and MM cell death. The results also demonstrate that GO-203 is effective against BTZ-resistant MM cells. We show that BTZ resistance is associated with BTZ-induced increases in TIGAR and GSH levels, and that GO-203 resensitizes BTZ-resistant cells to BTZ treatment by synergistically downregulating TIGAR and GSH. The GO-203/BTZ combination is thus highly effective in killing BTZ-resistant MM cells. These findings support a model in which targeting MUC1-C is synergistic with BTZ in suppressing TIGAR-mediated regulation of ROS levels and provide an experimental rationale for combining GO-203 with BTZ in certain settings of BTZ resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Boronic Acids / pharmacology*
  • Bortezomib
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects
  • Drug Synergism
  • Glutathione / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Immunoblotting
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / metabolism*
  • Mucin-1 / metabolism*
  • Multiple Myeloma / metabolism
  • Multiple Myeloma / pathology
  • Peptides / pharmacology*
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • Protein Subunits / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein Subunits / metabolism
  • Pyrazines / pharmacology*
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism*

Substances

  • (arginine)9-cysteinyl-glutaminyl-cysteinyl-arginyl-arginyl-lysyl-asparagine
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins
  • Boronic Acids
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • MUC1 protein, human
  • Mucin-1
  • Peptides
  • Protein Subunits
  • Pyrazines
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • Bortezomib
  • Phosphoric Monoester Hydrolases
  • TIGAR protein, human
  • Glutathione